Villar’s daughter declines deputy speaker post

MANILA, Philippines — The congresswoman-daughter of former Senate president Manny Villar and senator-wife Cynthia declined late Wednesday her nomination as one of the deputy speakers of the House of Representatives.

In a letter to Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar extended her “sincere appreciation for the honor and opportunity offered” but “allow me to humbly decline the nomination and designation.”

“It is an opportune time to work with my fellow congressmen and the leaders of the House on policy measures that would give personal and economic relief to our kababayans (countrymen) amid the past disasters and the pandemic,” the letter read in part.

“But the greater tact is adherent responsibility to our constituents, and the constant affinity to the leadership and nation,” said the young lawmaker who belongs to the Nacionalista Party which her parents headed.

Camille and Reps. Lito Atienza of party-list Buhay and Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro City were nominated deputy speakers, replacing three senior legislators who were identified with the camp of former speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.

Villar, a deputy majority leader, was supposed to take over the post of Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu of Batangas; Rodriguez replaces Fredenil Castro of Capiz while Atienza takes over the place of Dan Fernandez of Laguna.

Rodriguez currently sits as chairman of the House committee on constitutional reforms.

The Speaker, at the same time, will be the “caretaker” of Cebu City’s first district in light of the death of Rep. Raul Del Mar. Velasco’s designation as caretaker was “upon the wishes of the late Rep. Del Mar, as communicated by his family and constituency.”

Former deputy speaker Del Mar was supposed to be Velasco’s deputy speaker, but unfortunately didn’t make it. The veteran lawmaker was 79 years old when he died Monday.

Rep. Ron Salo of party-list Kabayan – who also took the side of Cayetano – was also removed as chairman of the House Electoral Tribunal, which will now be taken over by Caloocan Rep. Dale Malapitan.

At the same time, former Batangas congressman Mark Llandro Mendoza has been designated the new House secretary-general. Lawyer Jocelia Bighani Sipin who tendered her resignation Wednesday is expected to assume her new post as deputy secretary general to work closely with Velasco and oversee the affairs of his office.

ACT-CIS Rep. Eric Go Yap, chairman of the House committee on appropriations, was also designated as vice-chair of the committee on accounts that his close friend, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, heads.

The House also elected Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo – a deputy majority leader – as chairman of the House committee on energy, replacing Velasco who held the committee for years prior to his assumption into the speakership.